Insulating machine



Feb. 5, 1963 J. M. BIDDISON INSULATING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 20,1953 4 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

JOHN M 5/00/50 Feb. 5, 1963 J. M. BIDDISON I 3,076,253

INSULATING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 20, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 N I N2'9 RD N I H I INVENTOR.

Feb. 5, 1963 J. M. BIDDISON INSULATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 OriginalFiled Aug. 20, 1953 INVENTOR. JflH/V 4% 5/00/50 Feb. 5, 1963 J. M.BIDDISON INSULATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Aug. 20,1953 m w w.

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United States Patent 3,076,258 INSULATING MACHINE John M. Biddison,Dayton, Ohio, assignor to Harry W Moore, Dayton, Ohio Originalapplication Aug. 20, 1953, Ser. No. 375,523, now

Patent No. 2,835,372, dated May 20, 1958. Divided and this applicationApr. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 727,728

6 Claims. (Cl. 29-205) This invention relates to an automatic machinefor performing work upon articles of manufacture. It relatesparticularly to a machine for insulating the slots of armature cores.However, the invention is not so limited, in that it may be employed forinsulating stators or other elements of an electrical machine and mayalso be used for other purposes.

t This application is a division of my copending appli cation Serial No.375,523, filed August 20, 1953 for Insulating Machine, now Patent No.2,835,372.

. An object of this invention is to provide an automatically operatingmachine for insulating coil receiving slots.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine which receivesarmatures to be insulated from a source of supply, insulates the slotsof each individual armature and then places each armature upon aconveyor or a set of rails upon which it moves from the machine. Anotherobject is to provide an automatic insulating machine which can be usedin a large automatic insulating and Winding system in which severalinsulating and winding machines areemployed to their full capacity.

Another object of this invention is to provide an efiicient system usedinmanufacturing electrical devices so as to reduce the cost ofproduction without reducing quality.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, thecombination thereof and the mode of operation, as will become moreapparent from the following description. i

Referring to the drawings, FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective viewdisclosing the principal carrier elements of the preferred embodiment ofan insulating machine of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the operatingmechanism of the preferred embodiment of the automatic insulatingmachine of this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the engaging devicewhich directs an insulated armature to the rails upon which the armaturemoves from the machine.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional View disclosing elements of themachine performing a step in the formation of the insulating materialinto the proper shape to enter an armature slot.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view disclosing elements ofthe machine performing the next step in the formation of the insulatingmaterial into the proper shape to enter an armature slot.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view disclosing means of inserting aproperly formed strip of insulation into an armature slot.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side sectional view dis-,

3,076,258 Patented Feb. 5, 1963 tively indexing an armatureretained inthe insulating machine, sothat consecutive armature slots are insulated.FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary side view, a portion of which is in section,of a preferred modification of an automatic insulating machine of thisinvention.

. .FIGURE 9 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 99 ofFIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the clampingmeans bywhich an armature is retained dur-' ing the insulating process accordingto the preferred modification of this invention. Referring to thedrawings in detail, reference numeral 18 indicates the housing of thepreferred embodiment of the insulating machine. The machine is adaptedto insulate any conventional armature core 20 having a shaft 22 andslots 24.

A plurality of armature cores 20 approach the housing 18 rolling upon apair of. inclined rails 28, which are partially supported by the housing18; An arm 30 having two substantially right angle portions irregular inshape is provided with an arcuate recess in the upper end there of andis pivotally attached by means of a pin 31 to the housing 18. Thearcuate recess is adapted to receive an armature core 20, as clearlydisclosed in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3.

Movement of the arm 30 is actuated by a hydraulic motor 32, which isattachedto the housing 18' adjacent the arm3t). A conduit 34 serves toconnect the hydraulic motor 32 to a source of hydraulic fluid. Pivotallyate tached at the mid portion of the arm 30 and to the end of a pistonrod 36 of the hydraulic motor 32 is a link rod 40, which is encircled byan elongate helical spring 42. Also, pivot-ally attached at the end ofthe piston rod 36 and held by a pin 37 "is'a brace 44, Whch is pivotallysupported upon the housing by means of an extension 46; 'The rod 40 andthe brace 44 cooperate to form a toggle mechanism actuating the arm 30.

As the piston rod 36 is extended by the hydraulic motor 32, the link rod40, with the spring 42, forces the arm 30 to pivot about the pin 31. Thespring 42 cushions the movement of the link rod 40 against the arm 30.An armature core 20 is thereby carried upwardly in the arcuate recess ofthe arm 30; into an arcuate chuck or.

clamping recess and the armature "core 20 is held in the clamping recess50 .by the arm 30, as shown in FIG- URE 2. J

" As the armature core 20 is moved to thechuck 50 it engages a pair ofpivotally' mounted fingers 51 which are retained upon a pin 52 andresiliently held in the position as shown in FIGURES l, 2, and 3 by aspring 53. The fingers 5-1 are rotatably pushed upwardly as they are ongaged by the moving armature core 20 and when the armature core 20 hasreached the chuck 50 the fingers 51 are resiliently returned to thenormal position by the spring 53. The purpose of the fingers 51 will bediscussed below. t

A projection 54, attached above the chuck or clamping recess 50 andextending over the clamping recess 50, re

tains the armature core 20* from longitudinal movement while it is heldin the chuck or clamping recess .50 by the arm 30. As each armature core20 is thus retained in the chuck or clamping recess 50, a strip ofinsulating ma-.

, terial is automatically inserted into each slot 24.

Within the housing 18 immediately behind the chuck 50 are means, shownin FIGURES 4, 5, and 6 for insorting a strip of insulation into eachslot 24 of the armature core 20. A continuous strip of insulation 55passes into a slot 56 and moves a measured distance equal to the lengthof a slot 24 of the armature core 20. The strip 55 is then cut,establishing the proper length thereof. A plunger 58 forces the cutstrip 55 downwardly upon a bottom die 60. Side dies 62 shown in FIGURE 4bend the edge portions of the cut strip 55 upwardly and cause the cutstrip 55 to assume substantially a square U shape as it rests againstthe bottom die 60.

Then a ram 64, movable longitudinally in a slot 66, forces the U-sha-pecut strip 55 through a funnel 70 and into a slot 24 of the armature core20, which is retained in the chuck 50 by the arm 30 adjacent the smallerend of the funnel 70. As the cut strip of insulation 55 is forcedthrough the funnel, the upper ends of the vertical edges are bentinwardly. As best shown in FIGURE 7, the edges of the strip material 55near the periphery of the armature core 20 are bent inwardly. The stripof insulation is composed of a material which tends to -spring back intoits original shape after being bent and the strip of insulation thusattempts to spring outwardly and thereby fits itself firmly against theentire inner walls of the slot 24 as the strip is pushed through thefunnel 70 and'into the slot.

After a slot 24 of the armature core 20 receives a strip of insulation,the armature core 20 is rotated by an indexing means, so that anotherslot 24 of the core 20 is in alignment with the funnel 70. Within a head72 of the housing 18' is a reciprocally operable inner carriage 74.Pivotally mounted upon the inner carriage 74 is a pawl 76. Upon eachreturn stroke of the ram 64, the inner carriage 74 is forced to movewithin the head 72 by a roller 80 as the roller 80 engages a movable cam82. The inner carriage '74 is joined to the cam 82 by a bolt 86 whichoperates within a slot 88 of the head 72. The inner carriage 74 moves anexact and proper distance upon each stroke so that the armature core 20is indexed to the proper extent upon each operation. The clamping actionof the arm 30, as it retains an armature core 20 in the chuck 5.0, issufficiently loose to permit sliding rotationalact-ion of the armaturecore 20 within the chuck 50 as the armature core 20 is rotativelyindexed by the pawl 76.

After all of the slots 24 of the armature core 20 are provided withinsulation, automatic switch means cause the hydraulic motor 32 toretract the piston rod 36 in? wardly and thereby rotate the arm 30downwardly. As the armature core 20, is moved downwardly by the arm 30,it again engages the pair of fingers 51. A catch (not shown) preventsthe fingers 51 from rotating further counterclockwise than the positionshown in FIGURES 1, 2 and, '3. Therefore, as the insulated armature core20 is moved downwardly by the arm 30, the shaft 22 of th e core 20engages the fingers 51 which thereby prevent the insulated armature core20 from moving lower as the arm 30 moves lower, as shown in FIGURE 3.

The arm 30. then returns to its position at the end of the rails 28without the armature core which has been insulated. Each insulatedarmature core rolls downwardly upon inclined rails 94, which arepartially supported by the housing 18. As the 'arm 30 is pivotallyrotated by the hydraulic motor 32, the arm 30 actuates movement of astop means 97 provided with a protuberance 98 on each side of the rails28 adapted to engage the shaft 22 of an armature core 20. The stop means97 is pivotally mounted upon a pin 99 adjacent the lower ends of therails 28. With each movement of the arm 30, the stop means 97 pivotsabout the pin 99 and allows one armature core 20 to roll downwardly. andinto the arcuate recess at the end of the arm 30. A roller 100,rotatively attached at the end of the stop means 97 engages the curvedsuriiace 101 of the arm 30.

A switch 102, positioned between the rails 28, is used to indicate tothe machine control system that an armature core 20 has rolled into thearcuate recess of the arm 30 and is ready to be carried to the chuck 50.

A limit switch 103, positioned between the rails 94 is used to indicateto the control system of the machine that the supply of insulate-darmatures upon the rails 94 has become so great that armatures arepositioned one against the other upon the rails 94 extending up to thelimit switch 103. Receiving such an indication from the switch 103, thecontrol system will stop the machine from operation until the line ofinsulated armatures upon the rails 94 becomes shorter.

A dash pot mechanism 104, having a piston rod 105, is attached to thehydraulic motor 32, which assists in smoothing the operation of thehydraulic motor 32.

A preferred modification of the automatic insulating machine of thisinvention is shown in FIGURES 8, 9 and 10. Armature cores to beinsulated roll downwardly upon a plate 109 and between a pair ofinclined guide rails 110 toward a housing 111.

A hydraulic motor 112 attached to the housing 111 by a pair of plates113 and a bolt 115 is provided with a piston rod 114, and reciprocallymoves a link 116 to which is attached two pairs of control fingers 118and a pair of control fingers 120. Upon each operation of the hydraulicmotor, the control fingers 118 allow one armature core 20 to rolldownwardly into a clamping means. An insulated armature core 20, whichis held by the fingers 120, acts as an abutment and stops the downwardmovement of an uninsulated armature core, so that the shaft 22 cf theuninsulated core is in position to be grasped by a movable clampingmember 124 and retained in a clamp 126.

A short section of one of the guide rails 110 is removed at the locationat which an armature core 20 is clamped by the clamping finger. Thispermits direct longitudinal movement of an armature from the point atwhich it is clamped. Clamping member 124 is attached by means of an arm129 to a piston rod 130 of a hydraulic motor 132. Clamp 126 is attachedto an extension arm 131. The hydraulic motor 132 and the extension arm131 are attached to a plate 134 which is movably guided by a pair ofrods 136. The plate 134 is attached to a piston rod by a connector 141'.

The piston rod 140 is operated by a hydraulic motor 142. The hydraulicmotor 142 and the rods 136 are supported upon a base 143. The hydraulicmotor 132 provides power for the clamping action upon the shaft 22 ofthe armature core 20. The hydraulic motor 142 actuates movement of aclamped armature core 20 longitudinally into a chuck 144 in the housing111. The armature core 20 is partially inserted into the chuck 144 whichis an integral part of the housing 111. The chuck 144 is similar to thearcuatec lamping recess 50 shown in FIGURE 1, and is adjacent aninsulating device in the housing 111. Said insulating device is similarto that disclosed in the housing 18 shown in FIGURES 4, 5, 6 and 7.

The clamping members 124 and 126 retain a grasp upon one end of theshaft 22 of the armature core 20 while the armature core 20 is sopositioned in the chuck or clamping recess 144. The core 20 isautomatically provided with insulation in each slot 24 in a mannersimilar to that described with respect to the preferred embodiment, andthe hydraulic motor 142 is then automatically actuated to move thearmature core 20 longitudinally from the chuck 144 back to the rails110. The hydraulic motor 132 is then automatically actuated by thecontrols of the machine to unclamp the shaft 22. The hydraulic motor 112is then automatically operated, actuating movement of fingers 118 and120 allowing each armature core 20 positioned on the rails 110 to rollfarther down the rails 110.

The term hydraulic motor as used in this description is construed toinclude any type of fluid operable motor. Means for automaticallycontrolling the operation of the moving parts of this invention mayconsist of any suitable control system. The particular operationdisclosed may be. more readily adapted to an electrical 'control systembut any other suitable type of control means such as mechanical or fluidcontrolresults in successful operation of this invention.

This invention can be used for other purposes than insulating. It can beadapted to perform any one of many types of work upon an articleretained in the chuck.

A machine of this invention can be used in a large insulating andwinding system in which, for example, a plurality of insulating machinessupply insulated armatures to a pluralty of armature winding machines.The automatic means provided permits operation of all machines in thesystem to their full capacities without the necessity of manuallyoperating control.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, itwill be understood that within the purview of this invention variouschanges may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement ofparts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generallystated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects setforth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A machine for automatic seriatim operation upon rotors, each of whichhas a shaft, comprising a chuck, a pair of inclined rail guide membersadjacent the chuck, an inclined plate disposed substantially between andslightly below the rail guide members and being adapted to support aseries of rotors carried in rolling position between the rail guidemembers with the shafts of the rotors in parallel relation, the railguide members being adapted to direct the rotors to a position adjacentthe chuck, motor operated abutment members movable adjacent the railsand engageable with the shaft of a rotor which is disposed adjacent saidposition the abutment members being movable to positions out ofengagement with shafts of the rotors to permit downward rolling movementof therotors upon the plate, motor operable clamping means engageablewith a shaft of a rotor in said position, means for moving said clampingmeans so that a rotor is moved in an axial direction between saidposition and said chuck while the rotor shaft is held by the clampingmeans, and means for operation upon a rotor while the rotor is in saidchuck;

2. A machine for automatic seriatim operation upon rotors, each of whichis provided with a shaft, comprising a pair of inclined guide rails, aninclined support member adjacent the rails for support of rotorsdisposed between the rails, a chuck adjacent the rails, a portion ofsaid support member being located so that it is adapted to support arotor substantially in alignment with the chuck, motor operated abutmentmembers adjacent the rails and engageable with a shaft of a rotordisposed on said support member and adjacent said portion, there beingabutment members to prevent rolling of a rotor to said portion and anabutment member to engage the shaft of a rotor which has rolleddownwardly from said portion, means for moving the abutment members topositions out of engagement with the rotor shafts to permit downwardrolling movement of the rotors, motor operated clamping means engageablewith the shaft of a rotor on said portion of the support member, meansfor moving the clamping means and a rotor from said portion to saidchuck and to return the rotor to said portion of the support member, andmeans operable upon a rotor disposed in said chuck.

3. In a machine for seriatim operation upon rotors each of which isprovided with a shaft, support structure, a chuck carried by the supportstructure, inclined conduit means carried by the support structure anddisposed adjacent the chuck, the inclined conduit means being adapted todirect rotors to and from a position in substantial alignment with thechuck, motor operable abutment means adjacent the conduit means andadjacent said position, the abutment means being engageable with a shaftof a rotor before the rotor reachessaid position and engageable with ashaft of a rotor after the rotor leaves said position, a motor carriedby the support structure, a carrier attached to the motor andreciprocally movable in between said position and said chuck, motoroperated shaft clamping means attached to said carrier so that a shaftof a rotor at said position is clamped and the rotor is moved to thechuck by the carrier and returned to the chuck by the carrier while theshaft of the rotor is clamped by the clamping means.

4. In a machine for automatic seriatim operation upon rotors each ofwhich has a shaft, support structure, a chuck carried by the supportstructure, an inclined track carried by the support structure adjacentthe chuck, the inclined track being adapted to support a series ofrotors as the rotors are disposed in rolling position thereupon with theshafts of the rotors parallel, the track having a loading section fromwhich a rotor is axially movable into the chuck and to which the rotoris returned after operation thereupon in the chuck, a first fluid motor,the first fluid motor being carried adjacent the track and having apiston rod axially movable substantially parallel to the track, a linkattached to the piston rod and movable therewith, a plurality of controlfingers pivotally attached to the link, there being at least two controlfingers engageable with the shafts of rotors adjacent said loadingsection and upwardly on the track before the rotors reach said loadingsection, the abutment fingers thus preventing the engaged rotor frommoving to the loading section, subsequent rotors disposed upwardly onthe track being in engagement one with the other in seriatim relation asthey are prevented by a rotor which is engaged by a control finger fromfurther movement downwardly upon the track, at least one control fingercarried by said link and extending to a position adjacent the trackdownwardly from said loading section, the last said control finger being engageable with a shaft of a rotor after the rotor leaves saidloading section, thus preventing further movement of the rotordownwardly upon the track, a second fluid motor carried by the supportstructure, a clamping member attached to the second fluid motor andmovable between said loading section of the track and said chuck, athird fluid motor, the third fluid motor being attached to said clampingmeans for operation thereof, the clamping means being engageable with ashaft of a rotor disposed at said loading section of the track, therotor thus being moved to and from the chuckby said second fluid motor,the third fluid motor clamping and unclamping the shaft of the rotorwhen the rotor is so positioned at the loading section, said first fluidmotor operating to move said link, each of the control fingers pivotallymoving from a position to engage a shaft to a position out of engagingposition as the link moves in one direction, each of said controlfingers pivotally moving from disengaging position to engaging positionas the link moves in the opposite direction.

5. A machine for automatic seriatim operation upon rotors, each of whichhas a shaft, comprising a chuck, a pair of inclined rotor guide meansadjacent the chuck, an inclined support underlying the guide means andbeing adapted to support a series of rotors carried in rolling positionupon the inclined support with the shafts of the rotors in parallelrelation, the guide means being adapted to direct the rotors in aposition adjacent the chuck, motor operated abutment members movableadjacent the guide means and engageable with the shaft of a rotor whichis disposed adjacent said position, the abutment members being movableto positions out of engagement with shafts of the rotors to permitdownward rolling movement of the rotors upon the support, motor operableclamping means engageable with a shaft of a rotor in said position,means for moving said clamping means so that a rotor is moved in anaxial direction between said position and References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Baker Mar. 6, 1928 Eaton Nov. 13,1934 McCaifrey Mar. 15, 1938 Haegele Oct. 20, 1953 Biddison Oct. 8, 1957Biddison May 20, 1958

1. A MACHINE FOR AUTOMATIC SERIATIM OPERATION UPON ROTORS, EACH OF WHICHHAS A SHAFT, COMPRISING A CHUCK, A PAIR OF INCLINED RAIL GUIDE MEMBERSADJACENT THE CHUCK, AN INCLINED PLATE DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY BETWEEN ANDSLIGHTLY BELOW THE RAIL GUIDE MEMBERS AND BEING ADAPTED TO SUPPORT ASERIES OF ROTORS CARRIED IN ROLLING POSITION BETWEEN THE RAIL GUIDEMEMBERS WITH THE SHAFTS OF THE ROTORS IN PARALLEL RELATION, THE RAILGUIDE MEMBERS BEING ADAPTED TO DIRECT THE ROTORS TO A POSITION ADJACENTTHE CHUCK, MOTOR OPERATED ABUTMENT MEMBERS MOVABLE ADJACENT THE RAILSAND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE SHAFT OF A ROTOR WHICH IS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAIDPOSITION THE ABUTMENT MEMBERS BEING MOVABLE TO POSITIONS OUT OFENGAGEMENT WITH SHAFTS FO THE ROTORS TO PERMIT DOWNWARD ROLLING MOVEMENTOF THE ROTORS UPON THE PLATE, MOTOR OPERABLE CLAMPING MEANS ENGAGEABLEWITH A SHAFT OF A ROTOR IN SAID POSITION, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CLAMPINGMEANS SO THAT A ROTOR IS MOVED IN AN AXIAL DIRECTION BETWEEN SAIDPOSITION AND SAID CHUCK WHILE THE ROTOR SHAFT IS HELD BY THE CLAMPINGMEANS, AND MEANS FOR OPERATION UPON A ROTOR WHILE THE ROTOR IS IN SAIDCHUCK.